THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister Antony Raju on Tuesday said that the Congress was behind the protest that took place in Muthalappozhi on Monday. According to the minister, four or five Congress workers were behind the protest in the area.

"I later realized that those who protested were neither relatives of the dead nor local residents but Congress workers. A woman who had contested as a Congress candidate was also among the protesters. The ministers intervened upon feeling that the fisherfolks would turn against the protesters after seeing the protest. We came there after adjourning the adalats. A conflict would have taken place if we had not intervened," Antony Raju said.

The minister said that the fishermen neither stopped them nor spoke against them. 61 people have lost their lives in various accidents since the establishment of the fishing harbour at Muthalappozhi. Ministers V Sivankutty, GR Anil, and Antony Raju reached the spot after one person died and three fishermen went missing the previous day.